Norwegian Gem

Norwegian Gem is a Jewel-class cruise ship of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She is the final cruise ship of the Jewel class and was built by the German shipyard, Meyer Werft.

Norwegian Gem in Sicily
History
Name: Norwegian Gem
Owner: Norwegian Cruise Line
Operator: Norwegian Cruise Line
Port of registry: Nassau,  Bahamas
Route: Northern Caribbean, out of New York, New York
Ordered: 2004
Builder: Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany
Cost: US$ 700 Million
Laid down: 17 June 2006[1]
Launched: 12 August 2007
Acquired: 1 October 2007
In service: 2007
Identification:
Status: In active service
General characteristics
Class and type: Jewel-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 93,530 GT
Length: 965 ft (294.13 m)
Beam: 125 ft (38.10 m)
Draft: 27 ft (8.2 m)
Decks: 15
Propulsion: Pod propulsion
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Capacity: 2,394 passengers
Crew: 1,070 crew

History

Norwegian Gem was the newest cruise ship in Norwegian Cruise Line's fleet until the debut of Norwegian Epic in June 2010. Construction began on 7 June 2006 at the Meyer Werft Shipyard of Papenburg, Germany. She was delivered to NCL on 1 October 2007. NCL promoted the launch of this ship via her own website, "Gem It Girl", which in addition to providing details about the ship, also prompted previous customers' of NCL to submit an entry to be chosen as her godmother.

On 29 October 2011, Norwegian Gem rescued five people from the 39-foot (12 m) sailboat Sanctuary which had lost power and was floating in extreme weather conditions in the Atlantic.[2]

Vessel class

Norwegian Gem is the fourth of Norwegian's Jewel class. She was preceded by Norwegian Jewel in 2005, and both Norwegian Jade (originally Pride of Hawaii) and Norwegian Pearl in 2006. Each ship has different amenities, but has a similar exterior and interior design.

Norwegian Gem has a similar exterior appearance to Norwegian's Dawn-class ships; Norwegian Star, which entered service in 2001, and Norwegian Dawn, which entered service in 2002. The interior design and amenities, however, are significantly different and merit Norwegian Gem a Jewel class designation.[3]

Areas of operation

Norwegian Gem has undertaken regional cruises from ports in North America and Europe.

Incidents and accidents

2018 blizzard

On 4 January 2018, Norwegian Gem traveled southbound passing the Norwegian Breakaway through the January 2018 North American blizzard causing major flooding in passenger staterooms.[4]

COVID-19 pandemic
See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships

On 13 April 2020, a 56-year-old Filipino male crew member died aboard Norwegian Gem.[5] The crew member had been treated for pneumonia and tachycardia arrhythmia.[6] NCL claimed they did not believe he was infected with SARS-CoV-2, but appeared to have not offered any explanation as to why an autopsy was not performed, or why he was not tested for the virus.[5] He was disembarked at Miami by people in hazmat suits.[6]

On 23 April, NCL sent a letter to the crew members aboard stating that another crew member, who was on the cruise ship between 31 March and 14 April, had tested positive for the virus.[7] Notably, this letter was not sent to crew members who were no longer on the ship.[7][lower-alpha 1]

On the morning of 30 April, the senior doctor on Norwegian Gem was found dead in his cabin.[5] NCL claimed that he died of a heart attack in his sleep, though crew members stated that he was being treated for pneumonia and had not been tested for the virus.[5] Also, according to crew members, a nurse who had worked closely with the doctor had reportedly tested positive for the virus after being removed from the ship.[5][6]

There was concern among crew members that NCL had been hiding evidence of the virus on board Norwegian Gem, which may become an issue if NCL carries out plans to combine crews from different ships together before sailing them back home.[5]

Notes
  1. It has been conjectured that this was because those crew members would have been entitled to certain benefits had they been infected with the virus while on board.[7]

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2010.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Norwegian Gem Diverts Cruise to Rescue Distressed Sailors - Norwegian Cruise Line". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
  3. "Building Boom Ushers in New Class System". Cruise Travel. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 6 October 2007.
  4. ""It was hell for me": Woman recalls cruise ship ride during "bomb cyclone"". www.cbsnews.com.
  5. "COVID COVER-UP? NCL Ship Doctor on the Norwegian Gem Dies". Cruise Law News. 1 May 2020.
  6. Becky Peterson (26 March 2020). "Norwegian Cruise Line doctor dies on Gem ship". Business Insider. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  7. "Cruise COVID-19: Norwegian Gem Crew Member Tested Positive for Coronavirus". Cruise Law News. 25 April 2020.
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